Life-preserver



A. D. BAILEY.

LIFE PRESERVER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.I6.1918.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

ATTORNEY! A. D. BAILEY.

LIFE PRESERVER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 191s.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY A. D. BAHEYI LIFE PRESERVEH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16. ms.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

3SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEY v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANNA. DEANE BAILEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO G. H. MASTEN 00., INC, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPO- RATION OF NEW YORK.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Application filed August 16, 1918. Serial No. 250,214.

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

The mairr'obje'ct of this invention is to provide a jacket form of life preserver which is reversible, and which may be attached to the body very conveniently and quickly, and without confusion.

There are other important objects and advantages of the invention, which will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the device in its open or extended position; 1

Fig. 2 a front view, showing the device applied;

plied;

Fig. 4 a detail vertical sectional view of the back portion of the device and the attached collar, taken on the-line IVIV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a plan view of the device in its applied position;

Fig. 6 a horizontal sectional view of the device;

Fig. 7 a detail sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5; and

' Fig. 8 a detail sectional view on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 5.

Referring to the various parts by numerale, 1 designates the back section, and 2 and 3 the divided front section. The front sections are connected .to the vertical edges of the back section byflexible fabric portions 4.-. These connecting portions are preferably integral with the fabric which forms the front and back sections, but of course, they may be inserts, if desired. The fabric sections 4 are cut out at their upper ends as, at 5, to form the lower margins of the arm holes. The front sections are formed with vertical pockets, in which the buoyant material is arranged; and said vertical pockets are divided to form the upper larger pockets 6, and the lower smaller pockets 7. These pockets may be of any desired size and shape, but I have found that this arrangement is very satisfactory, and enables the front sections to be nicely fitted to the body of the wearer.

Fig. 3 a rear view, showing the device ap-- The back section is provided with the short vertical pockets 8, arranged along the. upper edge thereof. These pockets are filled with buoyant material; and below the pockets the back sec tion is formed with the flexible fabric apron 9. The pockets 8 are much shorter than the I pockets 6 and 7 of the front sections; and the flexible apron 9 is provided so-that the back section may be drawn closely in to the backof the wearer, the apron hugging the wearer closely and preventing the buoyant section from rising around the wearers neck. I have found thatthe flexible fabric apron clings nicely to the wearer when in uncomfortable position;

The upper-ends of the front and back sections are connected together by flexible shoulder straps. These shoulder ortions are preferably not padded with 'uoyant material, but of course, if desired, they may be so padded. The shoulder straps are cut out, as at 11, to form the upper margins of the arm holes. These shoulder portions are preferably integral with the fabric which forms the front and back sections but of course there may be additional plecesattached by stitching or otherwise, if desired.

Secured throughout the upper edges of the shoulder portions is a head-supporting pillow or collar 12, which is filled with buoyant material. Between the collar and the shoulder portions is formed a tubular passage through which a draw-strin 13 is arranged, the ends of said string pro ecting beyond the free edges of the front sections, as indicated clearly in Fig. 1. The purpose of the draw-string is to enable the wearer to contract the collar about his neck; and the shoulder portions of the collar are sufgciently flexible to permit this to be readily one.

To secure the back portion and the front sections about the body of the wearer, two securing tapes 14, are employed, one near the upper ends of the sections and the other near the lower ends thereof. These tapes are permanently secured to the back section and slide through loops 15, secured to the flexible inserts 4; and throu h loops 16, secured to the front sections. hese tapes are preferably on the outer sides of the sections,

but it is quite immaterial whether they are on the outer side or the inner side when the holes in the manner similar to putting on a jacket, and to then draw the strings 13 and the tapes 14 tightly and secure their ends together, as shown in Fig. 2. The device is reversible, and may be placed in position with either side toward the wearer. This is of great advantage for the reason that if in the confusion and excitement of placing the life preserver on the user should inadvertently place the securing tapes next to his body, it will not in any way interfere with the proper adjustment of the device or the proper operation of it. The device being in jacket form, the proper method of placing it in position is obvious, and no special directions are necessary. When the lower securingtape is drawn tightly the apron 9 tions.

is tightly drawn against the back of the wearer, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the device as a whole will be held securely in position, and may be prevented from rising when submerged.

What I claim is 1. A reversible jacket life preserver comprising a back section, two front sections connected 'to the vertical edges of the back section and formed with arm holes near their upper ends, flexible shoulder portions connecting the upper ends of said sections and formed with a tubular passage therethrough, a flexible collar connected to the shoulder portions, a neck-contracting tape passing through the tubular portion between the collar and the shoulder portions, and securing tapes connected to the front and back sec- A reversible jacket life preserver, comprising a jacket part formed with arm holes and designed to be Worn with either side out, and formed with a flexible shoulder part, acollar connected thereto, a tubular tape-receiving channel formed below the collar, a tape adapted to slide therein and contract the collar in the act of tying the collar around the neck of the wearer, and slidable contracting tapes connected to the body part and adapted to contract the body of the jacket in' the act securing it to the body of the a wearer. I

3. A reversible jacket life preserver comprising a body part formed with arm .holes, a flexible shoulder part and a flexible collar, and slidable contracting securing tapes connected to the shoulder part and to the body part, and adapted to contract the jacket as a whole when tied to secure the j acket to the wearer.

4;. A reversible jacket life preserver comprising a body art formed with arm holes,

a flexible shoul er part and a flexible collar, and means for contracting the shoulder and body parts about the neck and body respectively of the wearer.

5. A life preserver comprising a body part, a collar connected thereto, said body part and collar being flexible and designed to be worn with either side out, and means for securing the body part and collar in closed position about the body of the wearer irrespective of which side of said body part and collar is out.

6. A life preserver comprising flexibly connected front and back buoyant sections disposed flatwise with reference to the body of the wearer and having similar opposite faces whereby the sections may be reversed in use, the front sections having buoyant means for maintaining the said front sections uppermost and the back section including a lower apron portion and an upper buoyant portion to support the body in water in an inclined position, a buoyant collar flexibly connected at one edge to said front and back sections and having both faces alike so that either face may be presented to the neck of the wearer, and fastenfront sections together and being accessible from either side.

7. A reversible jacket life preserver, having arm holes, comprising a body portion provided with buoyant material to give buoyancy to the jacket, a flexible collar provided with buoyant material to give buoyancy to the same, flexible front, shoulder and back portions connecting the lower ends of the collar with the upper ends'of the body portion without buoyant material, and means for connecting the front ends of the body portion and the front ends of the collar, the jacket being alike on its inner and outer sides so as to be reversible and wearable.

of the collar, the jacket being reversible and wearable with either side out,

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ANNA DEANE BAILEY.

* ing means for detachably connecting the 

